


With You I Am Happier

by NinjaSpaz



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alcohol, College AU, Drunken Confessions, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, college party, happy birthday noemie!, pining?, side kurotsuki, very little bit i guess, we hooked our best friends up maybe we should kiss too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:54:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27420790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NinjaSpaz/pseuds/NinjaSpaz
Summary: It shouldn’t be strange. Tadashi is often here. He’s always at Kenma’s side, either physically or a text away. His head feels strangely heavy as he turns it to look at the dark-haired boy laying within arm’s reach. Tadashi is already grinning at him. His heart flutters against his ribcage.-Kenma and Tadashi have become good friends since helping their best friends get together. Now that Tadashi attends the same university as Kenma, people can't help but notice how Kenma smiles more.
Relationships: Kozume Kenma/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 6
Kudos: 116





	With You I Am Happier

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jellyfic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jellyfic/gifts).



> For the best of the best. Happy 20th birthday [my dearest](https://twitter.com/_no0emiie)!

_*ding*_

Kenma glances over at his phone to see the blinking light of a text notification on his screen. Curious, he slides open the display to read what he was sent.

It’s a picture message from Tadashi.

The freckled boy smiles through the LED display at him, hazel eyes shimmering in delight as he hovers one hand in front of him in a peace sign. The other hand holds a crisp, white form letter, the university’s letterhead plainly evident at the top beneath his darkly-painted nails. Kenma’s eyes flicker over the words in the page, but the font doesn’t read well in the photo. The caption his friend attaches to the image is all he needs to know what the letter contains.

_T: I got in!_

Kenma stares at the picture for a long time. They had talked about the colleges he had applied to, where he hoped to land. Kenma’s university was prestigious, their science programs ranked top in the country. Pride swells in his chest when he thinks of how hard Tadashi had worked on his applications, on studying for the entrance exams, all while leading the volleyball team to the national championships for the second time in three years.

_Me: Congratulations. Does this mean I’ll be seeing more of you next year?_

They’ve grown close over the past year by virtue of the fact that their best friends are currently dating. A plot they had hatched together because neither of them could stand to listen to their respective tall, snarky bastards moping and pining anymore. Hinata had put them in contact to get Kuroo and Tsukki together, and the rest is history.

_T: Well I dunno, I got accepted to the other schools too, so I have options._

Kenma blinks at his phone for a second. Wasn’t this his top pick? Had he changed his mind since the last time they talked about it?

_T: Kidding, Kenma. Of course I’ll be there next year! I wouldn’t pass up this opportunity for anything._

_Me: Brat._

_T: You miss me that much?_

_Me: I take it back. I don’t care if you come here after all. Go somewhere else._

_T: It’s ok Kenma, I miss you too._

_Me: Gross._

_T: Too late. You’re stuck with me. Tsukki got accepted too. Volleyball scholarship._

Kenma would bet money it had been Tsukki who had taken the photo of him.

_T: And you know that means Kuroo is gonna be coming to visit._

_Me: Are you gonna play too?_

_T: Probably not. At least not on the team. I’d still like to play some pickup games once in a while, keep in shape._

Kenma looks over his messy dorm room, empty cartons of cafeteria takeout piled high in his garbage can, empty cans of energy drinks littered across his desk, evidence of the decline of his dietary habits since he quit the sport they both shared. He pokes his stomach with a callused finger and it gives with a little softness. He hadn’t exactly succumbed to the Freshman 15, but his muscles weren’t as taut as they had been just a year ago. Maybe a few pickup games a month wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

_Me: Sounds exhausting._

_T: Try sleeping at normal human hours once in a while then. How late was your stream the other night?_

_Me: Well would you look at the time, I’ve got to get to class. Nice catching up with you Yams!_

_T: Get back here you little shit, you do not._

He doesn’t, but that doesn’t mean he can’t use the time to get some programming done. The computer science labs are basically his second home on campus, and if he can’t be found in his dorm room, there’s a high crit chance he can be found at the labs. He texts another apology and then heads off to his favorite base.

Tadashi isn’t actually mad at him, of course, and he’ll tease Kenma more about it later.

He’s buoyant the entire walk to the science buildings, and completely oblivious to the curious glances other students cast his way. He is no stranger around campus, a minor celebrity even, given his popular streaming channel. He’s used to the stares. He is known to be friendly, if a bit reserved, but the difference in these looks is that his fellow students have never seen him smile quite so giddily before.

He’s oblivious to the expression on his own face, too.

~

It becomes far more noticeable once Tadashi is actually on campus several months later.

Kenma doesn’t think he acts any differently. He’s always enjoyed talking to Yamaguchi, so now that they get to talk face to face instead of through texts and calls it only seems like he’s become more talkative. The younger boy spends his breaks with Kenma in the computer science labs. They meet up for at least one meal each day, depending on their schedules, and he becomes a frequent fixture in Kenma’s single suite. (For a sophomore, he had gotten the luck of the draw with the housing lottery.)

Sometimes he would hang out in Tadashi’s room with him and Tsukki, commiserating on the days Tsukki and Kuroo were fighting, watching cheesy scifi movies and ancient earth documentaries most of the rest of the time. He never felt the need to bury himself in a game when he was in their room, comfortable in their company to listen to them bicker or talk shit with them about the terrible special effects in the film of the day.

He doesn’t think twice about the natural ease between them despite the year that separates them, and the distance that had separated them in the past. Being around Tadashi is like settling in to play an old game, familiar and comforting even if he hasn’t always had it at his fingertips.

He really doesn’t think about it until one of his classmates comments on it one afternoon in the lab. Tadashi had been there, as was usual for him between class, regaling Kenma with a story about his ESci lab earlier in the day and making plans for dinner. After he left for his late class, Nakano peers around his monitor to grin at Kenma. “Ponytail Boy comes around a lot for someone who doesn’t have any compsci courses.”

Kenma raises an eyebrow at his bespectacled lab mate. It was an odd epithet considering the length of his own hair. “This is an open lab. Any students can use it.”

“Yeah,” Nakano drawls, “but he doesn’t use any of the computers when he’s in here.” He flails his hands in front of his face when Kenma narrows his eyes at him. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that! I just mean that it’s nice. You seem more relaxed when he’s around.”

“I’m always relaxed here,” Kenma rolls his eyes, but feels tension seeping back into his shoulders with the unexpected revelation.

Nakano falters again, realizing he’s not getting his point across as eloquently as he’d hoped. “Well yeah, you’ve always been at home here. But it’s like…you smile more? You seem happier lately, is all I’m saying.”

Kenma grimaces, which pulls a laugh from Nakano. “Why wouldn’t I be happy to have my friend around?”

Nakano shakes his head. “It’s just that I lived with you for a year and you’ve never really been that open with anyone here. It’s not a bad thing,” he adds with a teasing grin.

“I’ve known him since my second year of high school,” Kenma insists, though he knows they really didn’t get close until their best friends did a year or so ago. He swears he isn’t any different with Tadashi around. Nakano hums, unconvinced, but he drops the subject, turning his attention back to his project. Kenma stares at the lines of code on his own screen, willing them to reveal the cheat code to forget the entire exchange.

They don’t, and he can’t stop wondering if Nakano is right.

~

About five weeks into the semester, after the first vicious round of exams are through and students celebrate or despair, several large parties pop up across campus and in town. There are parties every weekend, some dorm buildings are rowdier than others, though Kenma rarely goes out for anything but the largest bashes. He’s invited to all of them, of course, his status as Kodzuken brings him a certain level of notoriety that many of the fraternities and clubs would love to showcase.

In the end he winds up at the volleyball house more often than not. Some of the seniors on the team rent a large house off campus, and it becomes a base for anyone associated with the team. Tsukishima, the sole freshman starter, is no exception, and therefore neither is his roommate or his boyfriend, who has come to visit for the weekend. Kenma is invited, both for his popularity and for his former affiliation with a powerhouse school. His best friends are attending, so he tags along.

He spends most of the night laughing as Kuroo embarrasses Tsukki at beer pong.

“Really Tetsu? You’ve had two years more experience here, how are you so bad?” Tsukki huffs as he lobs the little plastic ball in a perfect arc, forcing their opponents to take another drink.

Kuroo drapes an arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders. “C’mon, Moonshine, you think I’m some sort of party animal who goes out every weekend and gets hammered?”

The deadpan stare Tsukki levels at him has Tadashi in stitches at Kenma’s side. (Kenma tries not to think about how the sound of his laughter fills him with warmth. It’s probably just the alcohol.) They all know that Kuroo has a reputation at his school for hosting the best parties. Tsukki had made no small secret his disdain for the 3am drunken calls he endured during his final year of high school. Kenma was just grateful it wasn’t his phone Kuroo called anymore.

Of course as the night goes on, his skills improve with his level of inebriation. They really were a terrifying team. Tsukki wins them the early games on his sober accuracy, but eventually he starts to falter as the alcohol makes its way into his bloodstream. As he wanes, though, Kuroo rises. After at least ten rounds, the undefeated champions orchestrate their own downfall.

“Come on kitten, it’ll be fun,” Kuroo taunts. Most of the other partygoers had taken a shot at them, but Kenma and Tadashi, content watching from the sidelines, cheering their best friends on when they were doing well, and jeering when they fell behind, had yet to challenge.

“I am not drinking that shit beer,” Kenma grimaces. He preferred his drinks sugary and not overly alcoholic.

“Tadashi can drink yours,” Tsukki leers, the tilt of his head catching and reflecting the harsh fluorescents off his glasses.

“Or,” the volleyball captain offers, “you can play with water cups and drink your hard seltzers instead.”

Kenma considers it, but Tadashi steps in and arranges their cups. “I’ll do it,” he announces, accepting Tsukki’s challenge. He offers Kenma his fist to bump. “We won’t have to drink that many anyway.”

Kenma taps his knuckles against Tadashi’s, and he doesn’t even have to wonder what the other boy is thinking. Kuroo and Tsukki were better at blocking balls than serving or setting them. They were going to crush them.

As the challengers, they get the first toss. Tadashi lands his first cup as if he were placing a perfect serve on the volleyball court. And then the next one. Four cups are gone before he misses and Kenma hums in appreciation. Tsukki only lands one of his, the second one whiffing as he loses his balance. Tadashi takes the one drink with a wink.

Kenma doesn’t know why it affects him, but he feels his cheeks heat. He only lands one of his balls. Their lead is 5-1. Kuroo makes it 5-3. Tadashi has to pause to finish both of the drinks before he sinks two more of theirs to bring the lead to 7-3. Tsukki misses both of his shots. Kenma lands 2 but misses the final cup. Kuroo manages to hit one more but after Tadashi drinks the cup, he sinks their final cup after missing a teasing trick shot.

A loud cheer goes up around them from the other revelers as the reigning couple is taken down. Kenma and Tadashi are swallowed up in a crush of people. Tadashi pulls him close so he doesn’t get swept away. Kenma finds he doesn’t even mind the crowd.

They forfeit the table so other people can play, and find a free couch in another room to unwind with their reclaimed friends. It’s warm and Kenma feels content from the buzz thrumming through his veins. Kuroo whines that Yama’s last shot was just cruel, but Kenma calls him out on his tactics of forcing Tsukki to carry him until he hit his stride. Before they can descend into a spiral of “did not’s” and “did to’s” as they are wont to do whenever they bicker, Tsukki and Yamaguchi share a brief look.

Kenma closes his mouth in a smug grin as Tsukki captures Kuroo’s mouth in his, effectively ending his litany. He doesn’t care if it’s thanks to underhanded tactics from outside forces, he had won that round. He turns to gloat with Yamaguchi but his heart leaps into his throat when he becomes aware of how close they are. The couch isn’t very big, certainly not for 4 grown athletes, and he suddenly realizes the warmth that encompasses him is from where he sits pressed against Yamaguchi’s side, snugly under his arm. The younger boy smiles at him, dark eyes glittering with mirth and mischief and Kenma’s breaths struggle to escape his lungs. This close, he can count the freckles dusting his nose, or the lashes blinking heavily against his cheekbones.

_Pretty_.

Kenma turns away before his face can flare again. He finishes the last of his drink and feels Yamaguchi shaking gently with a laugh. Thankfully, he doesn’t comment on Kenma’s uncharacteristic behavior.

The rest of the evening is spent in pleasant conversation, with each other, with teammates and friends of Tsukki’s who come by to congratulate him on his impressive run at the pong table, with random drunk students they’ve never met before but who insist they are all now best friends in the way that drunk students tend to bond to one another. In normal circumstances, Kenma would have pulled out a handheld game by now, or gone home entirely. But with the weight of Yamaguchi’s arm still across his shoulders, he doesn’t feel like moving.

He’s almost reluctant to get up when they determine Kuroo and Tsukki need to be removed before they start anything on a stranger’s couch in full view of a house still pretty full of partiers despite the late hour. The couple can barely keep their hands off each other the whole walk back to campus, which amuses Tadashi until he realizes they’ll be in his room too.

“I may not have completely thought through what Kuroo staying with us meant,” he groans softly.

The low tone is unnecessary, Kenma thinks, since the lovebirds are several paces ahead of them and oblivious to the world around them. He matches the level when he replies though. Like they’re sharing a secret. “I don’t think my roommate would mind if you stayed over for the night.”

“But you don’t have—,” Tadashi starts, then cuts himself off when Kenma raises an eyebrow at him. He nods solemnly. “Well I wouldn’t to impose on your roommate,” he says, lacing his fingers together behind his back as he trots a couple steps ahead.

“I’ll deal with him,” Kenma shrugs. They stare at one another for a long heartbeat. Then they devolve into giggles. Kenma bumps his arm with his shoulder. “Come on. Let’s make sure those two idiots don’t get lost and get arrested for public indecency.”

They all make it back to Tsukki and Tadashi’s dorm without incident, but Tadashi barely has time to grab a spare change of clothes and his toothbrush before the lovers resume where they’d left off on the couch at the volleyball house. “You kids be safe!” he hollers as he locks the door with a giggle.

The sound infects Kenma, and soon they’re both laughing as they race back to Kenma’s room in one of the other dorm buildings. He isn’t sure why they’re running, but he feels light and giddy and Tadashi is smiling and his cheeks are flushed and Kenma thinks red looks good on him. They collapse on their backs on Kenma’s bed, chests heaving with their drunken exertion, intermittent giggles dripping from their lips.

As they slowly come down, Kenma becomes hyper aware of his friend’s presence in his room. It shouldn’t be strange. Tadashi is often here. He’s always at Kenma’s side, either physically or a text away. His head feels strangely heavy as he turns it to look at the dark-haired boy laying within arm’s reach. Tadashi is already grinning at him. His heart flutters against his ribcage.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you look so surprised,” he laughs.

Kenma doesn’t know why, but that sound immediately alleviates the tension between him. “I’m not used to people staring at me,” he admits.

Tadashi laughs again. “Kenma people stare at you for hours at a time while you play video games for them.”

“Yeah but I can’t see them,” he turns away with a pout.

The mattress dips as Tadashi props himself up on his elbows. “So it’s only people you can see staring that bother you?”

“I didn’t say it bothered me.”

“No, just that you’re not used to it,” Tadashi agrees. Kenma turns back to find his gaze on him again. “But I’m always looking at you, Kenma.”

Kenma tries and fails to refrain from swallowing. Tadashi watches the movement of his throat. “Why?” Kenma asks, even though he knows, if he really thought about it for more than two seconds, he knows he already has the answer. He still wants to hear it though.

Tadashi reaches his hand out until it finds Kenma’s, pulling him up so they’re sitting face to face. Kenma forces himself to hold his gaze, to not map the constellations on his cheeks or peek at the pink lips he suddenly wants to know the taste of. It’s just the alcohol talking. It must be, right? Never mind it’s been more than 2 hours since his last drink and all these revelations have done a pretty decent job of sobering him up. Tadashi smiles, big and wide, eyes crinkling to crescents as he squeezes Kenma’s hand. He brushes his nose across Kenma’s and says, “Because I like you, you little shit.”

Kenma scoffs, though he feels warmth blossoming in his chest at the confession. “Brat. You can’t confess with an insult.”

Tadashi shrugs. “Well I just did. What are you gonna do about it?”

His eyes flicker to Tadashi’s lips. They quirk in a cheeky grin as if Tadashi already knows what Kenma is going to do. And maybe he does. His hands are in Kenma’s hair almost as soon as Kenma closes the distance, pressing their lips together a little clumsily. There are more drunken giggles as they pull apart and try again, peppering gentle kisses on lips, cheeks, noses. Kenma tries to kiss every one of Tadashi’s freckles, which just elicits further giggling from the younger boy as he tightens his arms around Kenma’s shoulders.

“Aren’t you glad I chose to come here?”

Kenma hums into his neck. “Things have certainly been more interesting with you around.” He doesn’t even mean it as a joke. He’s been eating better. Keeping his room cleaner. Socializing more. Even playing games every other weekend. His sleep schedule is still garbage, though. “But if you ever bore me I’m dropping you.”

Tadashi grins against his temple. “Nah, you like me too much. You’re stuck with me.”

Kenma rolls his eyes. “Gross.” His smile betrays his fake exasperation though, and as Tadashi kisses him again he realizes Nakano was right. He’s definitely happier with Tadashi around.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> You know the drill. Hit that kudos button, leave a comment, or come chat with me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/AniNinjaSpaz)! And go read [Noemie's](https://archiveofourown.org/users/no0emie) fics. Leave her lovely comments for her birthday!


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